Goodbyes and the stories we love

Goodbyes suck. Sort of. So why do we say “good” bye? 

Besides the fact that they’re usually on good terms, I think there’s more hidden in the sadness and grief that can come with a parting. In fact, pain means that something special is leaving. 

I’ve had a few goodbyes recently, and there are a few that are around the corner. I cried thinking about them (manly tears). They hurt, to be sure. But there’s a kind of joy in them; a nostalgia, which is probably the better word. They are, in a lot of ways, actual “good” byes. 

Goodbye… imaginary friends?

I love memories. Even as a kid I would just sit and experience the nostalgia of them. I remember listening to sad music so that I would feel the memories more. 

The same feelings come when I finish a good book or a movie or a TV show. I like to sit and digest for a few minutes after a good ending, remembering all that came before that moment.

I might even say some figurative goodbyes to characters, places, or events in the story. 

Stories have this special kind of power and usefulness. We’re in a theoretical world, filled with relevant possibilities. Our empathy puts us in hypothetical shoes, and we visualize ourselves in the world of another. The lessons may come in handy.

More than that, I think stories remind us of the good in the world and the meaningfulness of our lives. All of this was for something. It was beautiful. Purposeful. Valuable. I hate to lose it; I hope to experience more of it, or them. 

Goodbyes, or the endings to the real stories of our own lives, do the same thing. All this was for something. There was purpose, beauty and value. I hate to lose it. Deep down, this person or this thing meant something to me, but also meant something beyond me. They are intrinsically valuable, even if I had never experienced them. 

Honestly, it is moments like these that build my divine hope. A hope of heaven and many more goodbyes in a future eternity – but goodbyes that will only ever be temporal, knowing that those dear to me will always return, or that our paths will cross somewhere in the Universe. And, most importantly, a hope that I will forever know God and forever be satisfied in knowing him. 

Summer Reading Series #3: Why I stopped taking notes while I read

Disclaimer: I still take notes sometimes. And I regularly highlight on my Kindle.

But a while ago, a lecturer told me to never take notes while listening to lectures. His reason? When you take notes, you’re not actually listening to the lecture. You’re engaging your brain less.

I’ve started to apply the same logic to reading.

Here are a couple of reasons why I don’t take notes while I’m reading anymore.

1. It’s distracting. Whether it’s pulling out my phone (which itself is addictive and makes it harder to focus on reading) or whipping out the notebook, it breaks the mental concentration needed for a meatier book. Depending on how you do it, it might also mean you’re less likely to remember the thing you’re reading in the moment.
   
   Plus, it just takes you out of the book. The best reading experience is an immersive one.

2. It slows the reading process. If there was payoff then this would be fine. The question is: is the pace cost worth the retention benefit? If there isn’t benefit, then why bother?

3. It doesn’t tax the memory. If you really thinking while you write, this might not be the case. But most of us just copy some text down and that counts as our “studying”. But copying something down doesn’t mean you’ve learned it or integrated it. In fact, writing something down (especially typing it) may not tax the memory the way it needs to be taxed.
   
   You know that slight pain that you feel in your brain when you’re thinking? It’s a good feeling! It means you’re learning. Neural connections are being made. No pain, no gain. Literally.

 

So, you might ask, what do I do instead?

As I’ve hinted at: I just think. I even talk to myself. I think about what the ideas I’m reading relate to. I visualize what they might look like if lived out. Or I think about things they remind me of.

Such associations are what memory is made of, and you’d be very surprised how much your brain is capable of if you give it a good work out once in a while.

So keep thinking.

Corey

Book Review: Cal Newport’s Deep Work

Let’s start by stating the obvious: we live in a perpetually distracted world.

I noticed a while back that I had trouble even washing the dishes without putting something on. Music, at least, probably a podcast or even a YouTube video. It felt weird to simply do. That’s when I started to realize I was addicted to distraction. Distraction, not focus, was the norm in my life.

I’d been thinking about this for a while when I read Deep Work, which is more about how we work than it is about distraction and the digital world (which Newport’s more recent book is about). But you can’t talk about focus and deliberate concentration without scrutinizing our world’s norms around tech and social media.

Newport criticizes these norms that, he points out, are often accepted just because they’re there. It’s not that they’re helpful (though they can be) or better. They’re just there, so we use them. And it’s not just the technology – it’s office and workspaces too. The style is often “open concept” so that we can have as much “connection” and stimulation (i.e. distraction) as possible. This is a bad recipe for “knowledge workers” and others who need focus to produce their best work and compete in a tough economy.

If it’s not becoming clear, Newport’s concept of “deep work” goes against this grain. He himself encourages readers to find the spaces and practices conducive to concentration and limiting distraction. He gives clear suggestions and principles and uses some psychological concepts in doing so. It’s very pragmatic, and like any good productivity book, gives clear action steps. I’ll have to adapt his ideas to my own work and personal lifestyle, as he encourages, but I already feel like my life is changing because of what I learned.

That said, the concept of deep work itself is still somewhat ambiguous. Newport is not a psychologist by trade, and even though his use of psychological concepts and research are helpful, I could have used more fleshing out of just what is happening when I go into deep concentration. But maybe that’s the psych nerd in me.

Nonetheless, the deep work concept has enough substance and clarity that you know what he’s talking about. Even if he hadn’t given me the practical rules and tips, I’d have a general sense of what to do in my life to improve my knowledge work.

If you’re not interested in knowledge work in any way, this book won’t do much for you. The primary audience will be those who have to leverage brain power in their day to day, whether at work or home. As someone who regularly writes and creates mentor curricula, it was right up my alley.

Newport also does a great job at helping you understand the benefits of depth; from economic to psychological. Perhaps the most interesting point he makes is that going deep actually improves the sense of meaning in someone’s work. If you’ve ever experienced a few satisfying hours of productive work free of any kind of interruption, you might know what he’s talking about.

I’m not surprised that Newport’s new book has built off of his extended social media criticisms; his cultural commentary here will really make you reconsider your habits and what you take for granted. But the central concept and pragmatism are compelling enough to make the book very valuable.

If Deep Work isn’t on your productivity genre list, it should be. It’s proving to be a life changer for me.

Why entitlement and choice are a bad combo

In theory, everyone should love “The Works” for its breadth of beefy options (herbivores bear with me). Yet a part of me always feels a twinge of disappointment when I go.

Why? Too many options.

If I get the Kamikaze, I’m missing out on Sun of a Beach, Obi-Wan Kobe and Maple Bacon Mozza Bites, to name a few. Pretty much every time I make an order, I start thinking about whether or not I made the right choice.

There’s been some research suggesting that too many choices, even if they lead to a “better choice” in the end, actually leave people feeling less satisfied. It might even paralyze them beforehand. Sometimes I think it’d be easier if someone else made all my decisions.

Whether it’s too many options or some underlying belief I got from culture or a life of relative privilege, I actually think I deserve the “best” option (which is, of course, unhelpfully vague).

Think about the other decisions of our lives that can seem so stressful. Am I at the right job? Will I marry the right person? Imagine the disappointment I’ll feel if there are better options out there!

Admittedly, I find myself at the hands of this kind of entitled paralysis every once in a while. It becomes hard to even make decisions, let alone be content with the ones I do make.

It’s been pointed out to me that if we asked our grandparents if they were “fulfilled” with their jobs, etc. they would probably look at us funny. For them, it was enough to have a job and live your life. Perhaps the lack of options meant they didn’t even think about what some other kind of “fulfillment” would be like. Perspective likely made all the difference.

We, on the other hand, are obsessed with fulfillment. The lust for personal autonomy and success, fueled by social media highlight reels, drives us forward (or paralyzes us). Anything less than this ambiguous (< keyword) fulfillment will not do. I don’t know what I’m looking for, but I know how I want it to feel (note: I probably don’t know that either).

Therein lies the problem. We want to feel good and to be “fulfilled” but we have no idea what that means. We’re directionless or paralyzed in fear that our current direction might not end up feeling like we want it to. How could I bear the disappointment?

Sadly, I fear that we are all but guaranteed disappointment when we feel like we deserve something, especially when that something is poorly defined but supposedly awesome. And that is part two: we don’t just obsess over fulfillment… we think we deserve it.

How is that not a recipe for disaster? We’ve gone beyond just desiring “fulfillment” in life. Now we will be outraged when we don’t get it!

Isn’t life full of disappointments?

Here are some sobering reminders if you find yourself scared stiff with entitlement and choice:

Finding the “perfect” fit is impossible.
Once again, this idea of the “perfect” match is so vague that you probably wouldn’t even know it if it showed up. I say ditch the idea altogether without losing the “non-negotiables” and maybe a minimum of preferences that are reasonable.

From soulmates to dream jobs, the reality is always in the middle. Different jobs (or whatever) will bring you different kinds of joys, but they are joys no less. While some are better than others (for you), doesn’t mean that there is a “perfect fit” among the “good” options.

You don’t really deserve anything. I didn’t grow up going to church but became a Christian through a kind of youth group. I don’t know who taught it to me, but somewhere along the line I learned that I really didn’t deserve anything. Not only did I not do anything to bring myself into existence, but as a sinner I often violated the gift of existing at all. Life was a gift from God, even if it wasn’t “perfect.” 

Even at a young age, this belief gave me an appreciation for just about anything. I still go back to it when I find myself upset at life or people for not giving me “what I deserve”.

Who ever found happiness thinking so highly of themselves?

Happiness is often more about mindset than circumstance.
Once again, grandma and grandpa were content with the little they had. That means it’s possible for you and I. It might require us to be on social media less, or it might mean doing some “mindset work”, and reframing how you think of things. It might also be difficult, but it must be done if we’re going to escape the evils of entitlement.

At the end of the day, life is not about making perfect choices. It’s about making the best of what you find yourself with – including some faulty decisions you may have made along the way.

When you aren’t where you thought you’d be

Turning 30 has felt like a mixed bag. But variety is the spice of life, isn’t it?

And let’s be honest: a lot of life hasn’t gone as expected. My 20’s were tough. Bouts with anxiety and depression. A broken engagement. Add to that feelings of uncertainty, shifting social circles as friends move and marry, and it can make for lonely and unsettling times.

I can also struggle with not being quite where I wish I was (whatever that means) and with feeling like a failure. Usually these feelings are baseless; I’ve seen some solid successes in work, health and education, and overall life is pretty dope. Yet I can’t help but feel like I should have some greater level of success, especially entering my fourth decade on this planet.

The story is far from over

In reading the book of Genesis a while back, I noticed that Joseph’s life wasn’t that great at 30.  He had been tossed in a hole and left for dead by his own brothers who couldn’t stand his arrogance. Though sold into slavery, he climbed the ladder at his master’s house… until the guy’s wife made him an ancient victim of the #MeToo movement gone wrong, landing him in prison as an accused rapist.

So much for “success”.

Despite all of this, the story of Joseph ends in a kind of glory.

Twelve years after being left for dead, this once arrogant young man becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man and saves millions of lives from famine. He recognizes the blessing of God in his work (as does Pharaoh, actually), and eventually he reconciles with his old family nearly 20 years after they (quite literally) ditched him. I’ve barely been so moved by literary tears.

Where’s the magic wand?

We often hear stories like Joseph’s and think, “Aw, that’s nice”. But when our lives feel even a bit out of sync, we ask “Why couldn’t God do it another way?”

But who’s to say there is another way?

What if what happens to us is exactly what God needs to bring us through? What if it’s exactly what is necessary for our growth and for the good of those around us? Also let’s be honest, isn’t a real story much more interesting than the wave of a wand?

Years of suffering and loneliness yielded much fruit in Joseph. You can’t help but weep with him when you see the beauty of God’s providence in Genesis’ closing chapters.

Like Joseph, I expect I’ll weep tears of joy the more of God’s plan I see written, bring what He may.

Bring it on, 30.

You aren’t that person… and you don’t want to be

Ever feel like you want to be someone else?

Sometimes I wish I was extraverted. Our world is an energetic and social one, and those with the most social energy often have advantages. They tend to have more charisma, tend to get noticed more, and can seem more likable.

But I’ll be honest: when I think about it… I really like who I am.

Being more introverted and cognizant, I catch stuff a lot of people don’t. I’ll pick up more deeply on patterns or the emotions of others. I’ll see details that often go missed. My love for silence and solitude can offer advantages as well: a knack for self-reflection and emotional maturity; a deep inner world that can be fertile for thorough thought and clarity.

I’ve realized these are a few of my favourite things about myself, and they are things I likely wouldn’t have if I was this other outgoing type. So while “the grass can seem greener” sometimes, I don’t actually want to be like those other people. I want to be me.

Now this is not to say that “introverts are deep, extroverts are shallow” – far from it. It’s just to say that in our uniquenesses we have advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses that we should own instead of beat ourselves up for. This is also not to say that I should never be working on my “other parts”. The outgoing types may need to work a bit harder to ensure they practice solitude; the silent types will need to ensure they’re challenging themselves socially. This is an important part of maturity.

We are who we are

We are who we are for a reason. Take that in for a second.

Being created means being designed with purpose. First, practically: the world wouldn’t be what it needs to be or have what it needs to have if all of us were one type of person.

Who would the strong, silent observers be? If we were all warrior-kings, who would the priestly-advisers be? Who would be our reflective types, writers, and poets? Think about how much beauty and insight would be lost to our world!

We all at times wish parts of ourselves were different. We wish we were smarter, bigger, faster, stronger, more attractive… the list could go on. But what if you, the very way that you are, even the seemingly not so great parts, had a role to play in something bigger? What if there are parts of you that you just need to own, and even learn to like? What if they are designed for God-given purpose, even if they seem pointless or detrimental?

Who’s to say the beauty that could come of them?

Why Entitlement Sucks

“whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

Everyone knows how sucky it feels to be humbled. It almost always begins with entitlement: You think you deserve something, but then it slips from your grasp, or someone else takes it from you. Then, what some would call an ancient “ticker” in your mind goes off. You just dropped in some kind of status, and resultingly, so did your serotonin.

Bitter defeat. Ripped off. Then someone rubs it in: “Sucks to suckkkkkk!!!”

The ideas of status and dominance or competence hierarchies have been floating around in my head for a little while, thanks in no small part to Jordan B. Peterson’s constantly referring to them. While I don’t necessarily like the idea that my happiness is tied to a subconscious status tracker hard-wired into my system, it sure seems like it’s just a part of us.

But if it’s a part of us, there must be something inherently good (or redeemable) about it.

Consider the fact that “status” and this tracker seems to have a lot to do with self-perception and not mere circumstance. That’s why the same social situations can devastate some but not even scathe others (though this could depend on your current serotonin level, too). It’s also why an insult from someone you don’t know or care about usually matters less than one from a close friend or respected mentor.

If our perception matters, then we can have some control over this subconscious and hard-wired system in our brains. And that’s huge.

It means I can affect my own health and happiness as I shift my cognitive paradigms. I can reframe and see myself or my life circumstances differently. Thus, indirectly, I can influence my own serotonin and experience of happiness.

Obviously, there are limitations. Some changes might require so much of an overhaul that you’d be lying to yourself if you embraced them. But perhaps, at the very least, it might make circumstances more manageable and more easily overcome.

Worldview matters

I actually think this is one of the great powers of the Christian message. Even a murderer can be forgiven by God when God himself is taking care of the legal debts we owe Him. Instead of suppressing the memory of a committed evil, instead of justifying it by lies, instead of being crippled by the weight of such guilt, we can own our guilt, grieve our innocence, and accept that God loves and forgives even the murderous. What could be a devastating status loss can be buffered, and a meaningful, redemptive way forward can be found. 

So what does this have to do with humbling ourselves? Let’s see that quote again:

“…whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” 

In a way, Jesus is speaking about entitlement. What happens when you’re entitled? If you get what you expect from entitlement, it might feel good, but it won’t feel as good as it could because you just think you deserve it. The “victory” is just normal. And when you “lose”, it feels all the worse. And if we take the rest of what Jesus says seriously, do we really ever deserve the good things we enjoy in this life?

But what happens when you have the reverse mindset? When you know you’ll be fine win or lose? What if we “expect” that we don’t deserve positions of status or various privileges, given that we’re broken and even evil? What happens when we are blessed with what we see as undeserved gifts?

Perhaps our true security and “status” that ensures decent serotonin or the like is more to do with how we understand ourselves and our place in this world. When we understand that life is a beautiful gift, undeserved and even ill-deserved, we’ll be happy for every bit we can get. When we are reminded that God is our creator who loves us and will see us through suffering, we are kept from devaluing ourselves as if we’re nobodies. It’s only in this balance that we find true and life-giving humility. This is the psychological power of the Christian Gospel. We are exalted when we find our humility. Happiness is a matter of reframing. Lose your entitlement, know your true place, and all of life is a joy giving gift.

3 Hard but Helpful Questions to Ask About Your Relationship

So you’re dating. Great. All those feels, am I right?

Seriously though. Those feels. They make you crazy. Like actually: neurochemistry goes wack for a while when you’re with a new person. For over a year sometimes.

There are probably a million questions you should ask (if you’re a perfectionist) to really get to know someone and figure out if they’re for you. If you’re wise, at least some of those should be hard questions about the quality of the relationship.

Here are 3 to ask yourself. They might sound simple at first, but try and let them sink in, and be very honest with the answers.

1) Do you like your significant other?

I’m sure you feel like you love them, but do you like them? I mean, do you genuinely enjoy them like a friend and like someone you just plain like to have around? Do they make everything in life better, or would you kinda rather they stay home sometimes?

Someone shared recently that they were dating someone who was great on paper, but after a little while they realized that they never wanted to be around this person alone. In fact, they dreaded it.

Is that you? Are you eager for a date to finish? Are you sometimes wishing you could have some other company with you so that things would be more “fun”?

Consider that a lot of marriage will be just the two of you. How much would marriage suck if you didn’t really enjoy the plain old company of your partner?

2) Do you find yourself embarrassed by them?

Are you proud to show them off to your friends (I’m not talking physically)? Do you genuinely like the idea of being seen by their side? Or do you cringe when they open their mouths when you’re with company?

This is going to be a lot of your life. People will see you with this person. It will be awkward for you, not to mention mentally and emotionally stressful, if you generally don’t feel happy that people think of them when they think of you.

Furthermore, consider that “birds of a similar feather fly together”. If your friends don’t get along with them or seem out of place, or vice-versa with their friends, that may be a clue that the two of you will want to hang out with different people. That’s no fun. You may end up with entirely different friend groups and will find yourselves apart during times when best friends should be together. Food for thought.

3) Do you make the 5:1 ratio?

Researcher John Gottman has shown that a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions is a minimum requirement for a successful marriage. If you’re lower than that, you’re in trouble.

Some of this ratio is likely within your control, but you might also think back to question #1. If you don’t like and respect your partner, it’s going to be a lot harder for the two of you to have the positive interactions you’ll need for emotional and relational health.

This doesn’t mean there isn’t hope for such marriages – I’m a firm believer there is (see the Gottman Institute article for some help). But if you’re dating, it may be unwise to knowingly jump (or slip!) into a marriage with a bad outlook. Even if your current partner is the one for you, it would be better to start off on the right foot.

Gary Thomas writes that “…people marry people they don’t like all the time” (The Sacred Search, emphasis mine). Why might this be? Perhaps some are insecure about breaking up. Others might not want to make a scene. This is especially true the more attached you are or the further along you are in the relationship.

Don’t let that be you, friends. Take heart, get help, and act; you’ll be fine. In fact, you (and they) will be better off going through a tough break up now than a divorce (or contemptuous marriage) down the line.

I’ve been there. It took me way too long to end a relationship that should have finished much earlier. I’m thankful I made the call I did, for both my sake and hers. And I’ll end there: consider that your partner may even have the harder time being in a relationship with someone who doesn’t like or respect them for who they are. Ending things may be as much a favour to them as it is the right choice for yourself.

Keep thinking friends. Even if you’re completely crazy for someone!

2 Marriage Truths That Don’t Apply to Dating

Marriage. Some love it, some hate it. I’m convinced it’s incredibly underrated, and I think statistics would agree with me.

But all the best things can go awfully wrong. Shawn Smith understands this, and I’ve reviewed his book which tries to help men date well to marry well.

Some well-intended folks have tried to do the same. However, some things are helpful to know for marriage that don’t exactly apply in the dating phase.

I’m assuming that others have faced similar confusion, perhaps without knowing it. It might be our own fault for applying these truths to dating when they were meant for marriage. Give these two truths thought, but remember not to apply them directly to your dating situation:

1) Marriage is about commitment.

Amen! But the point of dating is to figure out *if* you’re going to commit to someone. I know there’s a phase before engagement where you have a certain degree of exclusivity. But this commitment is not the same as marital commitment.

So if you’re dating and things aren’t going so well, take heart. You’re not committed yet, and you are totally free to feel like this relationship isn’t for you. In fact, if you feel that way, I wouldn’t hesitate. Pray, think, get wisdom, and act. You may save yourself and your boyfriend/girlfriend considerable heartbreak.

2) Marriage is for your holiness, not your happiness.

If you’re not a Christian, you could replace “holiness” with some kind of personal growth and maturity, though admittedly that’s underplaying how significant holiness is to the Christian. But nonetheless, it’s a beautiful fact that marriage matures and enhances us as human beings.

However, to the dating individual, this phrase can be misleading. A good marriage should lead to happiness if there is quality intimacy and commitment. But, sure, when two people are married and the going gets tough, they need to hear that relationships are hard and that it’s not all about them and how they feel. Every marriage will prove difficult, and the difficult times should bring you closer.

But when you’re dating and things are constantly hard, the dating person should stop and think: “why is this so hard? Should it be? What might this be suggesting?” It’s possible that the difficulty you are facing is totally normal or at least nothing unusual. But it’s also possible that such a difficulty might mean you need to rethink the relationship. Again, this is the time to have your eyes wide open and ask the hard questions about a relationship that could lead to marriage… but perhaps shouldn’t.

 

I say these things because of the very unique stage that dating is. You’re usually infatuated, at least for the first 12-18 months, which means your neurochemistry is completely whack and you’re blind to flaws of your significant other and your relationship with them. That’s why the above truths that are so helpful to marriage aren’t always helpful when you’re trying to figure out if the two of you are marriage material.

So time to rethink. Yes, marriage is about commitment. Yes, my marriage will not always be a happy one. But what do these hard times mean? Is there something I’m missing? Who can help me keep things clear?

Keep thinking. Scary though it might be!

Book Review: Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a [bleep]

The title was censored, but Mark Manson’s writing isn’t. He’s hilariously raw and random, assuming you’re able to laugh at his somewhat-regularly inappropriate brand of humour. If so, you’ll find his honesty is refreshing. I found myself physically feeling better while reading the book. He incites a kind of freedom in his realness.

Manson is real in every sense of the word. He’s honest and clear about where he’s at and where he’s been. He seems to hit the nail on the head when it comes to some major issues of our day in Western culture. We aren’t raw enough. We avoid suffering when we should lean into it. We try and do everything and be everything when we would be much happier living simple lives focused on the important things, giving less you-know-whats to the unimportant things.

The title of the book is actually ironic. It’s not that we care too much about everything. It’s that we care too much about the wrong things. And we only have so many cares to give.

Manson’s arguments are mostly philosophical and anecdotal, which is both a strength and a weakness. It’s a weakness because there’s not necessarily research behind it all. But it’s a strength because you journey with him, laugh with him, fear with him, cry with him and celebrate with him. This is one of those books that you just feel so good about every time you read it, and you’ll be bittersweet about finishing.

Many of the points you’ll absorb from this book will feel like the classic “I always knew this but you put it into words for me” scenario. It just feels right. However, much of it is ancient truth made contemporary. It’s not really new stuff, which is probably just as well.

Christians have actually been saying many of these things for a long time. The need for values based on correct principles? Exchanging idols of success, sex or approval for true, ultimate or eternal values? Embracing suffering and learning through it? All classic biblical themes, even though one might argue that Manson is missing a very necessary foundation that the bible has: there is no God, seemingly, in any of his [bleep]-giving, and therefore no ultimate basis for why certain [bleep]s matter more than others. Nor, in fact, is there any basis to really think anything is worth caring about at all.

I also think some of his points miss the mark. One of his arguments is that we are always a little bit wrong. That’s true enough, I think, as is the principle that follows: over time, society learns more and more. We’re all just figuring it out. But he draws a hugely generalized implication: we must always therefore be uncertain (note the irony: he is quite certain of uncertainty). This goes too far and too broad. I understand the need for an intellectual humility that is open to change – it’s a principle I live by – but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t things we can hold on to as convictions, even if we are open to challenges. Manson himself would probably agree with me, but I think he needed more clarity and nuance here. The last thing we need is a generation of people unwilling to hold to convictions. I think that’s exactly what has led to our generation even needing a book like this.

There is however still great value in Manson’s contemporary edition of ancient wisdom. It’s relevant and accessible but also timeless. Its well-written and weighty, and yet doesn’t take itself too seriously. And for me, as a Christian, it’s very interesting to hear a secular voice speak up about these things. My fellow Christians would do well to read and understand voices like Mark Manson’s in order to understand where our culture is at, how it is changing, and how we can interact with that change.

Furthermore, Manson is an example of how religion, and Christianity in particular, can go bad or at least be misunderstood or misapplied. Much of his childhood difficulties and the [bleep]s that he was giving sound like they come from a legalistic background. Sounds like Mark didn’t grow up at a gospel-centered church.

I sincerely hope that in time Mark Manson begins to see that his experiences are actually inherently valuable because they’re part of a designed world and an Authored story. I hope he sees that his insights have been available for thousands of years in the inexhaustible wisdom of the Bible. I hope he understands that the heart-change that he is pursuing is catalyzed and consummated in relationship with the one true God and the good news He gives.

Keep thinking.